


Ninjago Self Insert One-Shot Collection

by SlowpokeGamer



Category: Lego Ninjago
Genre: Eventual Romance, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Multi, No Plot/Plotless, Non-Linear Narrative, One Shot Collection, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Romance, this is my first work hello
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-28
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:34:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27678149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SlowpokeGamer/pseuds/SlowpokeGamer
Summary: A collection of my various stories about my Ninjago Self Insert. I felt it best to post them all as one chaptered story since they either have no connection or very loose connections towards each other.Mostly about romance and random bits of relationship development :) Also this is my first time ever posting here and all the tags are very overwhelming, so any tips or tricks that could make this more coherent or readable I would be very appreciative of! Hope you enjoy nonetheless, I also post these on my tumblr: @them-lucky-few
Relationships: Zane (Ninjago)/Original Character(s), Zane (Ninjago)/Original Male Character(s), Zane (Ninjago)/Self Insert, Zane Julien (Ninjago)/Original Character(s)
Kudos: 3





	1. First Meetings

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Thank you for taking your time to read this :) I'm new to posting on this site, despite having my account for a few years, so please be patient with me! I'll get the hang of it eventually. I hope you enjoy my work, please keep in mind that the main character is a self insert OC and the main relationships are self insert x canon, so if that's not something you're into or care for then this probably won't be the story for you qwq

The sun was rising over the horizon, casting the lands below the monastery in a pale light. Inside the monastery itself, a young man was sliding a door open, stepping out into the morning light with a loud yawn. Two more men followed behind him, entering the main courtyard and rubbing their own tired eyes. An old man turned around to face his students, his eyes obscured by his bamboo hat. The three men, Jay, Cole, and Zane, all bowed to their sensei, lining up in front of him to begin their training for the day. Sensei Wu just shook his head, dismissing their gestures.

“There will be no combat training today,” he said. “I have been meditating, and I believe it is time for me to take the next step of my journey.”

“The next step?” Jay piped up, looking to his companions a bit frantically. “Where are you going?”

“Nowhere far. You three are still a long way from completing your training, so I am preparing to leave and find the final tool for you to become a true ninja.” He started walking towards the top of the courtyard, his students following closely behind.

“When will you be back?” Cole asked.

“I will return before you three do. I am not the only one going on a journey, you see.”  
The three looked at each other in confusion. Sensei Wu opened a sliding door and lingered in the open doorway for a moment, continuing his explanation. “You three are ready to go on your first mission.”

Jay beamed with excitement, straightening up and bouncing in place. “Our first mission?! Are you sure? What are we doing?? Who are we fighting??”

“Jay, calm down-” Cole sighed and rested a hand on his shoulder. Jay stopped talking, but he didn’t stop bouncing though. “What are we doing Sensei?”

“You will leave tonight. A few towns away from Jamanakai Village is a tea shop owned by an old friend. You will pick up my special brew from this shop and return home.” Wu tapped his staff on the ground and Jay stopped bouncing. They shared some confused looks with each other before Jay started up his yapping again.

“That’s… It?” he asked. “We’re just… picking up your tea?”

Wu cocked an eyebrow at Jay. “Is there something wrong?”

“Well… I guess not, I just thought maybe there would be a bit more action! It’s our first mission, aren’t there any bandits to fight, or bad guys to take down?” Jay started punching the air, showing off the basic combat moves he had learned in his time at the monastery. Wu shook his head, tapping the end of his staff on the top of Jay’s head, efficiently shutting him up.

“The lessons I am teaching you are so much more than just fighting. This journey you will take is not about saving people or fighting anyone, it's about learning more about yourselves and becoming closer as teammates and brothers.”

“With all due respect, sensei,” Zane, who had been quietly listening this whole time, finally spoke up, “The three of us have been training together for a long time now. Do we really need more time to grow closer?”

Wu sighed, taking a few steps into his room. “You three still have much to learn. The owner of the shop is a powerful spiritual guide. Perhaps getting a reading at the shop will do you three some good.”

They all heaved their own disappointed sighs and bowed to Wu again, saying, “Yes sensei.” in unison. Wu went on to explain that the three of them would leave that night and the ninja went off to pack for their trip.

~

Under the light of the moon, the three started off, dressed fully in their black ninja gear and each carrying packs loaded with supplies. They travelled for a few days, Jay complaining about the mission nearly the entire way there. They rolled into the village early in the morning, Zane locating the tea shop Wu had told them about.

“I believe we are here.” Zane said, examining the shop’s sign. The Golden Spirit… Hm.

“Let’s just get this over with…” Jay muttered, still very much disappointed with this journey’s goal. Behind him, Cole sighed.

“Oh come on, you’ve been down in the dumps this entire trip. Be thankful that Sensei even trusted us enough to do this on our own.” He opened the shop’s door, leading the way inside and looking around. The smell in the shop was very strong, practically slapping the three boys in the face as they came in. Jay plugged his nose almost instantly, being put in an even more bitter mood. Zane approached the counter, looking around for anyone who might be working.

“You think they’re on lunch break?” Cole asked.

“Oh no, looks like the owner is out. That’s too bad, let's go home now.” Jay started to turn around to leave but Cole grabbed his hood and yanked him back.

Zane walked around to the other side of the counter, his eyes scanning the tall shelves stacked full of tea leaves and herbs. “I am not sure where the owner is. The sign outside said it was open.” He looked back towards his teammates, shrugging at them weakly. Footsteps sounded behind him and he perked up, looking back down the hallway next to the counter. A figure turned a corner at the end of the hallway, his eyes glued to his phone.

“Ah- Excuse me?” Zane called out. The boy looked up, jumping in surprise and dropping his phone. He looked around in a panic, looking like he was about to run away before he charged towards Zane at full force. Zane yelped, jumping out of the way just in time while the boy slid into the main room.

“I knew something bad was coming! You’re here to rob me aren’t you!!” He clenched his fists, very obviously trembling. The other three looked at each in confusion, Cole slowly approaching him.

“Easy kid… We’re not h-”

The boy threw a sloppy punch, which Cole easily dodged. The boy backed up some, his gaze flickering between the three from behind his glasses.

“Dude! We’re not burglars, we’re ninja!!” Jay exclaimed, hopping to Cole’s side.

“Ninja?” the boy scoffed, “There haven’t been ninja around here for years, I’m not that stupid!” He flicked his wrist out and a blade extended from his gold bracelet. Jay yelped, throwing his hands up in defense and slinking behind Cole just the tiniest bit. Cole rolled his eyes at Jay, sending a pleading look to Zane, who was standing behind their assailant.

“Wait! We are ninjas!” Zane started. The boy whirled around, aiming his bracelet knife at Zane now. Zane went on, “We are students of Sensei Wu, he told us that this shop is where we could acquire his ‘special brew’ as he put it…”

The boy looked at Zane in surprise, slowly lowering his weapon and looking between the three of them. “Wait… You’re Wu’s students?”

“That's what we’ve been trying to tell you!!” Jay snapped. The boy retracted his knife, his face coloring as he awkwardly cleared his throat.

“Then… what’s the bad thing…” he muttered under his breath a bit, eventually shaking his head and looking at the three apologetically. “N-nevermind… I’m sorry about all that, I’ve just been a bit on edge lately.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Cole said, much to Jay’s dismay. “Are you the shop owner that Sensei sent us to find?”

The boy looked surprised for a moment. “Me…?” He paused for a minute, fiddling with his necklace. “Uh… Yeah! That’s me! My name’s Chikaru.”

“I’m Cole. This is Jay, and that guy is Zane. It’s nice to meet you.” Cole smiled and Chikaru awkwardly smiled back.

“It’s nice to meet you all too. I’m uh… I’m sorry about that whole thing…”

“What are you even so on edge about?” Jay asked. Chikaru walked around the counter, climbing up the ladder and looking through the boxes on the top shelf for Wu’s order.

“Don’t worry about it,” Chikaru said. He grabbed a big box and climbed back down the ladder, handing it to Cole from across the counter. “I guess Wu’s getting too old to make the trip here himself?” He snickered.

“Not exactly…” Zane said. “He said this was our first mission. He also suggested that we get a spiritual reading from you before we left.”

Chikaru looked a bit panicked again for a heartbeat, but the ninja didn’t seem to notice. “I think Sensei was being sarcastic when he said that, Zane.” Jay muttered.

“Uhm… W-well, if you want, I could actually give you guys some readings! Completely on the house, Wu is a good friend.” Chikaru started playing with his necklace and the ninja looked at each other, waiting for one of them to answer. Cole was the one who eventually spoke up, shoving his hands into his pockets.

“I mean… If they’re free. Besides, maybe we’ll actually get something useful from this.”

Jay groaned, tugging on Cole’s sleeve, his brows furrowing in annoyance. “Cooooole, come on… We got the tea, let's just go home, I’m over this.”

Chikaru chuckled, walking back around the counter and looking at Jay. “You can go first if you want. You seem to need it the most.”

Jay glared at Chikaru, pondering the offer for a few heartbeats before sighing and slumping over. “Fine… Let's do this.”

Chikaru took Jay’s hand and led him to the back, informing the other two that they can wait in his living room, as the readings were meant to take place alone. He took Jay into a dim room with a table in the middle, surrounded by pillows to sit on. Chikaru sat on one side of the table and Jay sat on the other, still looking very annoyed.

“Want some tea?” Chikaru offered. Jay didn’t answer for a bit, still trying to look mad, but he eventually nodded and Chikaru poured him a cup. When Jay took a sip, he almost immediately spat it back into his cup in disgust.

“UGH-! Why is it so bitter?” he coughed, wiping his chin.

“It's ah… supposed to be bitter…” Chikaru murmured. He set the teapot aside and asked Jay for his hands. Jay reluctantly took Chikaru’s hands, shifting uncomfortably.

“Close your eyes and try to relax,” Chikaru said, shutting his own eyes. “I can’t read your vibes if you’re on edge the whole time.”  
There was a pause. Jay had closed his eyes as well and the two sat in silence for about three seconds before Jay started snickering.

“Please don’t word it like that-” he laughed out. Chikaru laughed a bit as well, one eye opening a bit to look at him. He let Jay get his giggles out and started reaching out when the ninja had relaxed again. Chikaru took a deep breath and he started to see flashes of Jay’s future laid out before him. Although many of the events were hard to decipher, Chikaru was able to read some of the more major ones and he started relaying this new info back to Jay.

“A failed inventor, huh?” he asked. Jay groaned, his shoulders slumping some.

“It’s that obvious?”

“Unfortunately so,” Chikaru held Jay’s hand a bit tighter. “But I see improvement for you, both in regards to your inventions and yourself as a person. Keep your confidence as you start your real training, and you will eventually realize that love and family is a lot closer than you realize.”

He let go of Jay’s hands, and the visions vanished. Jay looked at his hands and then back to Chikaru. “What? What does that mean??” he asked.

Chikaru just shook his head, smiling softly. “That’s all I can safely give you. Send in one of the other two for me, won’t you.”

Jay looked at Chikaru suspiciously, slowly standing to his feet and leaving the room. A few minutes passed and Cole walked in, sitting across from Chikaru. Chikaru offered him some tea as well, but Cole turned it down, probably warned by Jay that it was incredibly bitter. He took Cole’s hands in his and immediately felt a wave of grief wash over him. He let Cole’s visions flood his mind, his a bit easier to read than Jay’s was.

“You are grieving right now… aren’t you?” he softly asked. Cole didn’t answer, but the wave of sadness hit him again, stronger this time. He allowed the visions to swim around in his mind for a bit longer, doing his best to decipher what he saw. Chikaru slowly opened his eyes, looking at Cole compassionately.

“You miss her a lot. I’m sorry.” He said. Cole took in a small, shuddering breath and let go of one of Chikaru’s hands to scratch his face.

“It’s just… it's not fair…” Cole said in a low voice.

“I understand.” Chikaru reassured him. “But you are on the path you are meant to be on. Family extends so much farther than just blood. You will mend the gap between you and your father in time. Just remember that he’s coping with this just as much as you are, even if it's hard to tell. And I know he will love and accept you, no matter what.”

Cole was staring at Chikaru in shock. He tried to blink back the tears that welled in his eyes, and smiled at Chikaru with a small nod. Chikaru smiled back and sent Cole off, waiting patiently for the last one to walk in. Zane came in the moment Cole was out of eyeshot. Surprisingly, Zane actually accepted Chikaru’s tea offer and didn’t have as strong a reaction as Jay did. He winced a bit, but didn’t complain about it. Zane’s aura felt just a bit off… Chikaru couldn’t really put his finger on it, but he was a bit reluctant to take Zane’s hands.

“My friends tell me you are quite cryptic with your messages.” Zane said. Chikaru blinked, a bit taken aback.

“I-... I’ve learned it’s best not to give too many details. I have faith you’ll all be able to put the pieces together yourselves.”

Zane nodded, a small smile crossing his lips as he laid his hands on the table for Chikaru to take. Chikaru slowly took Zane’s hands in his, his vision instantly being washed in a blue light. He couldn’t make anything out from this vision, all he could see was the light and occasionally hearing Zane’s voice echo around in his head. This was all too much, but Chikaru couldn’t let go of his hands. It was like he was frozen in place. Zane was the one who pulled away from him, reality slamming back into Chikaru like a brick. Both of them were out of breath, and Zane especially looked bewildered by what he had seen.

“Are you… like me?” Chikaru asked, his hands a bit shaky.

“I am.” Zane answered. “And you are not a real spiritual guide, are you?”

Chikaru flinched, sitting up and leaning against the table in shame. “Okay, you caught me. You want a prize?”

Zane shook his head. “No. Just a few answers. Where is the guide that Sensei told us about?”

“That would be my master,” Chikaru sighed. “She left on a journey a few weeks ago and left the shop to me. I’m nowhere near her skill level, I’m just a seer.”

Zane looked at Chikaru blankly, and Chikaru feared he was about to get scolded, but Zane just laughed softly and leaned against the table as well. “Do not worry. I will not tell my friends, as I fear Jay would just become even angrier with you. Now… What do you make of that vision?”

Chikaru bit his lip, itching the skin on the top of his hand. “I… I don’t know, honestly. It was too much for me to even guess on things…” he sighed, looking up at Zane, his face warming slightly. “Although, I think there is a lot more to you than the others realize. There’s something...strange about you.”

“I’ve been told that a lot.” Zane remarked.

“No, I don’t mean it like that.” Chikaru stammered. “There’s just something… more to you. I don’t know how to explain it.”  
Zane was looking at the ground, lost in thought. His gaze slowly lifted back to Chikaru and he was met with Zane’s soft smile yet again.

“I was going to say the same about you, if I am being honest.”

“M-... Me?” Chikaru looked at him in surprise and Zane averted his gaze again, somewhat awkwardly.

“Something tells me our paths will cross again, Chikaru. In what sense they do, I am unsure.” He got to his feet and Chikaru followed suit, his brain swarming with a million thoughts at once. The two of them returned to the living area where Jay and Cole were talking about their own readings. They perked up seeing Zane and Chikaru, and the ninja prepared to set off.

Chikaru gave them a few extra supplies for their journey and watched them leave, waving goodbye from the shop’s front door. Knowing Wu, Chikaru was sure that he would encounter them again. But he was still troubled by both his initial vision foreshadowing something terrible to befall the shop and the vision he had shared with Zane. Zane was a seer, just as he was… But what was it that Zane saw that Chikaru didn’t? He sighed, heading back into the shop and starting to clean. Worrying about it would do him no good now. He would just have to wait and see what the future brought him…

On the path out of town, Jay and Cole were chatting away about what Chikaru had told them, Jay sounding a bit disappointed that Cole’s was a bit clearer than his was. Zane was lost in his own thoughts most of the conversation, thinking back to what he had seen… or rather, heard. Jay snapped him out of his thoughts and he looked at his small friend expectantly.

“Hm? What was the question?” Zane asked.

“Ugh, you’re so weird sometimes dude.” Jay grumbled. “I asked what Chikaru had told you. You’re so mysterious already, what kind of weird stuff did he see in that head of yours?”

Jay tapped Zane on the forehead, Zane flinching away from him and rolling his eyes.

“Well… He told me about… uhm…” He… wasn’t quite sure how to explain what he had seen.

“Welllll?” Cole pressed. Zane grumbled. He couldn’t tell them that he had gotten a vision along with Chikaru, let alone what he had fully seen in it. He wasn’t even sure what he had fully seen even was. Jay and Cole had stopped walking and were looking at Zane expectantly. Zane scratched the back of his neck, answering their inquiries with an awkward smile.

“... It's... complicated..."


	2. Confession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After learning the truth about his past and who he really is, Zane has to confess to Chikaru that he's not who Chikaru thought he was. Chikaru, on the other hand, has something he needs to tell Zane as well... Although it's not causing as much inner turmoil within him as Zane's thing is.

Zane sighed into his hands, his leg bouncing nervously while he waited for Chikaru to meet him in their sleeping quarters. It had only been a day since his and his brother’s return from the Birchwood Forest, the knowledge he had carried with him weighing down heavily on the white ninja’s shoulders. The trip back to the Bounty was mostly quiet, the first leg of the journey being filled with the ninja’s excited chatter about Zane’s powers and the truth about who he truly was. The second leg, the silence started, the weight of that truth finally hitting all of them, Zane especially. Jay’s awkward laughs and jokes did enough to break the silence, but the final leg of their trip was shrouded in pure quiet. Everything from now would be so vastly different and Zane wasn’t sure if he was ready or welcoming to this change. The void that had rested in Zane’s chest for so long had finally been filled, but it had been filled with ice. He was scared. But… the reason Zane was so scared wasn’t really what one would think… 

He could almost accept that his friends would no doubt be treating him differently. Hell, they already have been… They’ve treated him differently since the beginning. He was used to it by now, and he wasn’t really scared of their demeanor changing… He would get used to it, after all… he would adjust. He was scared of how Chikaru would react to this news… how Chikaru would begin treating him. He had been fumbling and grasping with trying to understand his true feelings for Chikaru for so long now. Ever since their first encounter Chikaru had made Zane feel something he had never felt before. It was so strange, it was overwhelming, but he couldn’t bring himself to stay away. Chikaru was warm. His presence, his aura was so warm and safe compared to Zane’s usually cold and icy demeanor. He wasn’t ready to say goodbye to that warmth. He wasn’t ready for Chikaru to turn away from him, for Zane to be alone yet again. The black sheep of the Bounty… The robot. The thought came to his mind in a foul connotation, the word alone being thought making a wave of cold to rush down Zane’s body. When he exhaled, fogs of air left his nostrils. 

He squeezed his eyes shut, another sigh falling from his lips and his leg slowly beginning to stop shaking. He couldn’t keep it a secret forever. He had come to terms with the fact the price of learning who he was would be losing Chikaru. It was just a matter of accepting that now… He could only hope that Chikaru wouldn’t think of him in the same light that Zane currently saw himself in. 

“Zane?” 

Zane jumped, his face coming up from his hands to look at Chikaru in the doorway. He swallowed, the warmth instantly hitting him as Chikaru flashed a small smile. He took a deep breath, scooting over on the bed and patting the space next to him, urging Chikaru to come over and sit next to him. Chikaru hesitated for a moment, fiddling with his hands as he slowly strolled over and sat next to Zane. Zane wasn’t looking at him, his eyes focused on his hands which were clasped together, his leg starting to bounce again. A silence settled over the two, Zane frantically searching for the right words to start this conversation. 

“So… Cole said you wanted to talk to me…? Is everything alright?” Chikaru beat Zane to it. Zane bit his lip, drumming his fingers together. 

“How much… How much has already been told to you…” He asked quietly. 

“Not much.” Chikaru replied, tilting his head, “I just know something happened when you guys followed the falcon.” 

Zane was quiet. Chikaru moved closer to him, Zane’s heart beginning to hammer against his chest at their close proximity. 

“What happened after you guys ran off…?” Chikaru rested a hand on Zane’s leg and Zane felt a rush of warmth rush up his body, gathering in his cheeks. Chikaru looked at him worriedly, sensing that something was definitely different about everyone else since their return. 

Zane bit his lip harder, barely able to focus on his own thoughts now, panic rising in his chest. By the first he wasn’t ready to do this. He didn’t even know where to start with something like this.

“Zane…?” Chikaru’s voice was gentle. “You know you can tell me anything…” 

Chikaru pressing for an answer certainly wasn’t helping. 

“Zane please… It’s okay…”

Zane took in a deep breath, sitting up straight and finally looking down at Chikaru, his brows furrowing together in anguish. He couldn’t do this… He wasn’t ready for Chikaru’s warmth to fade. This hurt so bad and he was so scared. But it was too late now… He had to. Chikaru had to know. His hands unclasped and began to undo the belt on his gi. Chikaru watched in horror, his face flushing and his eyes flickering between Zane’s face and his hands in a panic. 

“wH- WHAT ARE YOU DOING-...?”

Zane continued undoing his gi, Chikaru spluttering and scooting away from Zane in a flustered panic. Zane opened his gi, his hands resting on the hatch on his chest, hesitating for a few heartbeats before gripping the edge and slowly opening it up. Chikaru fell silent, his eyes glued to Zane’s now open chest, his gaze following the wires and switches that criss crossed inside the ninja of ice. Zane was looking away in shame, his breathing growing frantic but trying to stay calm. Chikaru was quiet, truly having no words at the moment to process his emotions. Zane finally decided to break the silence again, his voice faltering as he spoke. 

“I… I am not who you thought I am…” His free hand twisted into the fabric of his gi, trying to keep his breathing under control. “This whole time I… I never knew. I’ve gone so long wondering what became of my family, why I’ve been alone for so long… why I’ve had no memories and-... It's because I..- I…” 

“Zane…” Chikaru’s words went unheard. 

“I’m not… I’m not a human! I’m not a person I’m just- just-...” He had lost control of his breathing, his cold breaths coming out in fast and frantic huffs, every inhale he took only seeming to leave him more breathless. 

“I’m just…-” 

“You’re Zane.” 

Zane stopped. He looked at Chikaru in surprise, the smaller man just smiling up at him warmly. Zane stiffened, everything he had been bracing for just… never coming. 

“Wh,,, what…?” He whispered. 

“You’re Zane. That’s all that matters.” Chikaru rested his hand on Zane’s and Zane felt another surge of panic rising in his chest. 

“N.. No! You’re really… You can’t be-... Chikaru I’m a  _ robot _ .” He blinked away tears threatening to spill over his eyes. 

“So?” Chikaru didn’t miss a beat. “That doesn’t make you any less Zane…” 

Zane was... Confused. He wanted to be pleasantly surprised, but his confusion outweighed his relief. “Ch-... Chikaru… You…” He closed his chest hatch, feeling as though Chikaru had seen enough of it. “... Are you… Are you serious…?” 

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Chikaru ran a hand over Zane’s chest, stopping where his heart would be. Zane jumped at the gesture, his breath hitching in his throat and heat rising to his face once again. “It’s still you. It’s always been you, this doesn’t change anything.” 

“B-but it does!” Zane cried. “So much is going to change from this! I’m going to change… I…- I already feel as though I have…” 

He looked down, starting to close and tie his gi back. Chikaru waited, a small frown curved on his lips. When Zane finished he rested his hand against Zane’s again. 

“... You haven’t changed to me.” Chikaru murmured. Zane didn’t say anything. “You’re still Zane in my eyes…”

Zane was still quiet, but Chikaru could sense the change in Zane’s disposition. Zane heard Chikaru take in a deep breath, shifting his hold on Zane’s hand to interlock their fingers. His free hand came up to rest against Zane’s cheek, softly turning his face back towards Chikaru. The next words that fell from Chikaru’s lips reduced Zane to vapors. 

“You’re still the Zane I fell in love with…” 

Zane froze, his chest feeling as though it were about to burst. He looked down at Chikaru in shock, a small smile finding its way back to Chikaru’s lips. 

“I’m in love with  _ you _ , Zane. Every part of you…” His voice was a mere whisper, bright color blossoming on Chikaru’s face now. Zane’s breathing was slow, but heavy, his hand slowly coming up to rest on the hand caressing his face. A rush of warmth slammed into Zane, flooding him in a feeling of safety. He let out a quiet sigh, nuzzling himself into Chikaru’s touch, not wanting to let go of this feeling just yet. 

“Oh… Why must you make me feel like this…” He breathed. “You confuse me so much… You make me feel so safe…” 

He turned his head slightly to press his lips to Chikaru’s palm, Chikaru fighting back a flinch as that’s… not what he was expecting to happen. 

“Wait, what are you…-” Chikaru started to ask, rubbing circles on Zane’s cheek with his thumb. 

“Chikaru… Ever since we first met, every time I’ve thought about you, you make me feel warm… It’s like the sun is blossoming in my chest. It’s like my heart ties itself into a knot. You make me feel so much it hurts sometimes…” He looked back towards Chikaru, the young boy looking back with sparkles in his eyes, his mouth slightly agape. 

“I thought if I just… didn’t think about you… If I just avoided you, the feeling would go away. But it didn’t. Being away from you just hurt even more… I feel like I’m home when I’m with you…” He paused, wanting to see if Chikaru had any input, but the seer was pretty speechless. Zane just continued, pulling Chikaru closer to him as he spoke. “Is this… is this what being in love is…? Chikaru am I in love with you?” 

“I- I don’t kn-know-...” Chikaru let out a breathy chuckle. “That’s… that’s something you have to decide for yourself…” 

Zane thought for a moment, his eyes falling to the floor and just letting himself focus on Chikaru’s presence. His hand was warm on Zane’s face, every word that fell from his lips made Zane ache… made him long. He thought back, remembering how Chikaru would make Zane feel when they just passed by each other on the Bounty. Catching sideways smiles in passing, hearing quiet laughs in the distance, watching Chikaru focus on art or his chores and just feeling as though everything was alright in the world. Feeling as though everything was okay when they were together, like nothing could ever go wrong. He grasped Chikaru’s hand tighter, looking into his pale blue eyes. 

“I’m in love with you.” 

Chikaru let out another, chuckle, the sound turning into a fit of quiet laughter. Zane was confused again, looking at Chikaru in concern. 

“Haha…! Hah… Oh j-jeez… I honestly… I wasn’t expecting to actually feel the same…” He was shaking, Zane rested a cool hand on Chikaru’s shoulder to still him. 

“Is that bad…?” he asked. 

“N-no!!” Chikaru quickly answered, unnerve on the edge of his voice. “I’m just… I’m really happy… You had been avoiding me again and I was scared I had done something or you just didn’t care for me anymore-... Silly, I know, I just…” 

“I am sorry…” Zane conceded. 

Chikaru shifted his hand on Zane’s cheek, causing the white ninja to, in turn, shift his grip on the shorter man’s hand. “You have nothing to apologize for…” 

Zane smiled warmly at Chikaru, the ice having formed in his chest being melted. Unfortunately, their moment didn’t last. Their mission at hand gnawed in the back of Zane’s mind, Lloyd was still missing. There were still four fangblades to find and Pythor was probably very far ahead of the ninja on the search. 

As if reading Zane’s thoughts, Chikaru asked, “We can’t… be together right now… can we?” 

Zane’s smile fell. “No… I don’t think we can. There’s too much at stake at the moment.” 

Chikaru sighed, beginning to pull away but Zane pulled him right back in. He closed the gap between them, sliding Chikaru’s glasses to rest on the top of his head and grasping Chikaru’s face in his cold hands. Without missing another beat, Zane pressed their lips together. Chikaru let out a noise of surprise, it being muffled by Zane’s mouth. He slowly slipped into the embrace though, his arms coming up to wrap around Zane’s shoulders and his head tilting to kiss him back deeper. They stayed like that for what felt like forever, neither of them wanting to break away. Chikaru was eventually the first one to pull away, but just barely so he could catch his breath. He didn’t have Zane’s experience meditating at the bottom of lakes, unfortunately… Zane rested their foreheads together, stroking Chikaru’s face with his thumb. 

“As soon as we find Lloyd and the fangblades, and the threat of the Great Devourer is past… I promise. I promise we will be together.” 

“Okay… When this is all over then…” 

Chikaru leaned back in for one more kiss, and Zane welcomed him warmly. He was even more motivated to stop Pythor now, a new sense of determination erupting within him. The two stayed together for only a bit longer, breaking away again to meet with their companions on the bridge to discuss their next move. Zane was upset that he couldn’t fully be with Chikaru yet, and he almost considered retracting that statement, but he knew better. The threat facing Ninjago was still too great, and he didn’t want anything getting in the way of their mission, especially while Sensei Wu was gone. He could sense Chikaru felt the same way. Zane didn’t think holding off on this would be a distraction, it was more of a motivation for him. He hoped it was the same for Chikaru, however… He had gained his closure, about his past and now about his feelings and Chikaru. That was enough for him at the moment, and when Ninjago was at peace again he could put to rest a new feeling aching in his chest. 

The next morning when Zane woke up, he felt different. For the past however many years he’s been alone, he’s always woken up empty. A dull hollow feeling that weighed him down and made him seek out whatever mindless distraction he could find to fill it. But this morning, Zane didn’t feel that way. When he opened his eyes he felt warm, he felt fulfilled, he felt whole. His brothers hadn’t noticed his change in demeanor, not at first. The bounce in Zane’s step was subtle and the smile that crossed his lips was small. They only noticed when they all arrived in the dining room for breakfast and Zane’s eyes fell on Chikaru. Chikaru’s welcoming smile sent flurries of warmth through Zane’s nerves, his smile growing wider and his eyes seeming to gain a new shine. For the first time in Zane’s life, he felt as though he had finally seen the sunrise. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! After this chapter the order of events start going all over the place, so I'll start pointing out exactly which season the current events are taking place in at the start of the notes. If I could just write all my ideas in order of how they happen in the main narrative, I would but unfortunately I'm acoustic. Regardless, I hope you enjoy!


	3. How Much Longer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After nearly a year of the ninja team being split apart searching for their missing Master, Chikaru begins to wonder if they'll ever find him again, and if they don't, then what does that mean for him and Zane going forward?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time Period: Takes place during the time skip between Season 7 (Hands of Time) and Season 8 (Sons of Garmadon)

_ “Chikaru! Duck!!” _

Chikaru spun around just in time to have the butt end of a sword slammed into his face, causing him to reel back and lose his balance. He fell onto his back with a thud, trying to shake the stars from his vision when some of his bearings returned. Warm liquid trickled down his nose, and he wiped it away, staining the back of his metal hand red. The thug who had thwacked him made a move to swing his sword down at the fallen Chikaru, and to block it Chikaru quickly threw his arm up. The blade just barely dented Chikaru’s arm, but it still hurt. Through blurred eyes, he rolled his bottom end up and kicked his legs out into the thug’s gut, sending him flying back into the ground. Chikaru groaned, rolling to the side and shakily pushing himself to his feet. The thug had also gotten up, having dropped his sword during the kick. Chikaru flicked out the blade in his bracelet and made a run towards the sword, the thug quickly following suit. Chikaru reached it first and bent down to grab it, but the thug rammed into him and knocked Chikaru to the ground. 

The thug grabbed the sword and Chikaru rolled out of the way of a downwards swipe. He jumped back to his feet and grabbed the blade of the sword when the thug took another swing at him. He grimaced feeling the blade barely cut into his palm, and managed to keep holding the sword up against his hands. The two were evenly matched for a few moments, Chikaru almost gaining the upper hand, but the Thug caught him off guard, dropping his shoulder and causing Chikaru to fall forward. A knee was suddenly slammed into his chest and Chikaru was on the ground yet again, the blade sliding down his palm as he fell. The thug chuckled a bit, his smirk apparent behind his mask. Chikaru groaned, dazed and he tried to push himself back to standing, but was only pushed down again by a harsh boot. The tip of the sword found its way to the back of Chikaru’s neck, and before it could drive itself any further down, the thug was suddenly slammed away, Zane standing in his place. 

Ice and frost fell from Zane’s hands, and the white ninja slammed his fist onto the ground, freezing the thug where he was. When Zane was sure he wasn’t going anywhere, he bent down to check on Chikaru, helping him sit up and quickly tending to the dents and cuts that crossed Chikaru’s arm. 

“Are you alright?” Zane asked worriedly. 

“Ugh… Yeah…” Chikaru groaned. He wiped his nose again, smearing fresh blood right above his lip. Zane let his hands grow cold, rubbing Chikaru’s face with one of them to ease any soreness he had. Kaori had run over now as well, inspecting the spitting thug for a moment before crossing over to Chikaru and Zane. She helped Chikaru to his feet and offered him a rag to wipe the mess off his face. He nodded thankfully to her, turning around to look at the thug he had been fighting and the others who were being tied together farther back by Kai. Chikaru held the cloth to his nose for a while longer in case it bled anymore, and he watched silently as Kaori discussed with Kai and Zane how to handle the gang they had just caught. 

“We’ll get law enforcement out here to take these guys away, and then I think we can start looking for places to turn in for the night.” Kai said, one hand on his hip while the other was tapping away on his phone to call said law enforcements. 

“I believe I know of a nearby hotel where we can remain for the time being.” Zane chimed in. He glanced back towards Chikaru, who had his eyes glued to the ground. Zane frowned and added on to his original statement. “On our way we may stop at the local market and gather ingredients for dinner.” 

“Sounds good to me,” Kai yawned, “I’m getting kind of burnt out on takeout and fast food.” 

“It would also be nice to have an actual meal when Cole joins up with us,” Kaori beamed. “We’re supposed to rendezvous with him tonight.” 

Zane called ahead to book a room in the hotel he mentioned earlier and law enforcers showed up to cart the thugs away, allowing the small group some time to head off and tend to themselves. By the time they had arrived at their room after grocery shopping, the sun was beginning to sink behind the mountains. Chikaru had been unusually silent most of the trip, clearly lost in his own thoughts. He tuned back in once or twice to give ideas on dinner and such, but he was mostly silent. Zane wanted to ask if something was wrong the moment Chikaru went quiet, but he could sense that something was seriously troubling him and decided on prompting when they were at their hotel and had a moment alone. 

When the group arrived at their home for the next day or so, Zane immediately went to begin putting away the groceries and Chikaru went to claim a bed. Kai ran off to use the restroom and when he returned he joined Kaori by the front door. 

“We’re going to meet up with Cole at the meeting point and do another small patrol,” She said. “I’ve had the radio tuned to the police scanner and it sounds like there might still be some suspicious folks around.” 

“Oh, is it serious? Do we need to come with you?” Zane asked. 

Kaori shook her head. “No, I think we’ll be okay. You two stay behind and relax a little.” 

She rested her eyes on Chikaru when she said that, her son not looking at her and instead fiddling with his metallic arms. “We’ll radio if something happens.” 

Zane nodded and went back to putting things away, opting not to start on dinner just yet. Chikaru was still deathly silent, his fingers trailing along the dents and scratches that littered his arms from today’s fight, and then running along his nose and lip which had finally stopped bleeding. Today’s fight left Chikaru feeling… different. Usually he left turmoils like that feeling accomplished, but something today just… didn’t feel right. And Chikaru already had a few guesses as to why… He sighed and Zane definitely took notice of it, because his fiance turned his head to look over and asked, “Chikaru? Are you feeling alright…?” 

Chikaru didn’t answer for a while, debating with himself if he truly wanted to bring this up to Zane or just let it be for a bit longer. He could feel Zane’s gaze on him, looking at him worriedly. Chikaru tried to keep quiet, eventually deciding for himself it wasn’t worth it, but Zane knew better. 

“You’ve been very quiet ever since the battle.” Zane commented. “If something is wrong, you know you can always tell me anything.” 

Chikaru bit his lip, Zane making it apparent that he wasn’t going to drop this until he knew Chikaru was alright. And rather than fully lie, because Zane would of course see right through it, Chikaru finally blurted out what had started troubling him.

“Zane, are we…” he took in a breath. “... Are we ever going to ever actually get married…?” 

Zane lifted an eyebrow, confused. He eventually chuckled softly, looking at Chikaru with a warm smile. “Of course! We are just waiting until we find Sensei Wu. We’ve discussed this before…” 

He went back to what he was doing, putting away the stuff that needed to stay cold and items in cans in the empty cabinets. Chikaru went quiet again, running his thumb over the thin line that crossed his palm after he had grabbed the sword today. His brows furrowed together in sadness, his arms not nearly as sore or in pain after today as much as his face and fleshy bits were. The team had been split up searching for Sensei Wu for nearly a year now, and so far no one had any good leads. It seemed like Wu would be gone forever, or at least not found within this lifetime. The thought made a rock form in Chikaru’s stomach. What if they never found him? What if this continued on for  _ years?  _

“Zane…?” 

“Yes?” the nindroid did not break his blue gaze away from the cabinets. 

“Do you think that… in the future there’s a chance I could get more cybernetic upgrades, or just go full nindroid like you and Pixal are?” 

Zane stopped, that question startling him. He looked back towards Chikaru, worry flashing in his eyes for the briefest moment before a nervous smile crossed his lips. 

“Why would you ever want to do that?” he asked, “You’re perfect just the way you are.” 

Chikaru fell silent again and Zane knew now that this was more serious than he thought. He closed the cabinets and slowly walked over to Chikaru, sitting next to his fiance on the bed and gently taking Chikaru’s slashed hand in his. He gave Chikaru another few moments to answer, and when he didn’t Zane prompted him again, more gentle this time. 

“Why would you ever want to do that?” 

Chikaru cleared his throat, sitting up straighter, “Well… I just thought… I’m already halfway there.” He extended his free arm and flexed his fingers, the feeling and visual of it still very strange to him. “I’m sure… just a little more wouldn’t be too much trouble. I bet Borg could help out if-” 

He turned to look at Zane and stopped his sentence, the nindroid looking at him very worriedly now. Chikaru flinched slightly, letting his arm come back down and his gaze following it. After a bit of self motivation in his head, Chikaru gave the real answer. 

“Today’s fight got me thinking about things…” he started, “We’ve been looking for Wu for a long time now, and I… You…-”

His hand came up to rest on the part of his neck that the sword had been pressing into. If Zane hadn’t gotten there in time, Chikaru would have…

“What if… we don’t find Wu within this lifetime…” his words came out in a sad whisper. Zane looked taken aback, but his surprised expression soon fell to a more somber one. 

“I’m not saying that we should just give up! Or to rush the wedding,” Chikaru continued. “I’m just…! I… What if we… Zane, what if we don’t… If  _ I _ don't…” 

He had started leaning in to embrace Zane in a weak hug, his heart beginning to hammer against his chest. He gripped Zane’s gi, hiding his face against his fiance’s neck and taking in a shuddering breath. Zane sighed and hugged Chikaru back tightly, his cool hands trailing up and down his back in a soothing motion. A somber smile fell onto his face, and he gave Chikaru a few moments to calm down in his arms. Well… maybe he wasn’t just letting Chikaru calm down. He buried his face in Chikaru’s hair, taking small comfort in his presence and letting the smaller man warm him before breaking their silence. 

“Why don’t I start preparing dinner? Better to have it done before Kai and Kaori return with Cole… and I can make your favorite.” Zane started to get up, pulling away from Chikaru and returning to the kitchen, Chikaru reaching after him in vain. Zane had started pulling everything out again, fumbling with the ingredients and the stove and utensils while Chikaru watched, dejected. He put his face in his hands for a few moments, doing everything in his power to not let his emotions get the best of him right now. After grounding himself as much as he could, he stood up as well, slowly shuffling over to Zane and wrapping his arms around the taller ninja’s torso. Zane didn’t move or acknowledge Chikaru, too far in his own thoughts at the moment. 

After a long period of painful silence, Chikaru worried that Zane was actually angry with him, Zane spoke, sensing Chikaru’s fears, “This is not something I enjoy thinking about.” 

“I’m sorry…” Chikaru murmured. “I’m just… I’m scared. Zane I’m so scared.” 

Zane sighed. He rested his hand on one of Chikaru’s and turned his head slightly. 

“I know you are.” 

He turned around to fully embrace Chikaru again, Chikaru burying his face in Zane’s chest and trying to listen to his mechanics whirring through his own frantic breaths. Zane rested his cheek on the top of Chikaru’s head, rocking them back and forth gently. Zane wasn’t angry with him, he could never be; but most reminders he got about Chikaru’s mortality sent him into foul moods. He did his best to not think about it when he didn’t have to, but he knew that Chikaru would begin to realize that Zane would outlive him eventually… He just didn’t think it would be this soon. 

“I have thought about this before. Many times…” Zane murmured. “I know. I wake up every day and I’m fearful that any day could… That any day you…” 

Zane’s words trailed off into silence. Chikaru frowned, biting his lip and suddenly being washed in guilt. He shouldn’t have brought this up. He didn’t want to make Zane think about this, especially when it’s always been something lurking in the back of the nindroid’s mind. 

“You do not need to turn yourself into something you’re not for me.” Zane spoke softly, “I want to see you grow, and change. You're so lucky to be able to do so after all… And no matter what happens, I will be with you for every step of the way.” 

He pulled away just enough to lift Chikaru’s gaze to his and slide his glasses off his face. He held Chikaru’s face in his cold hands and brushed away the tears that were steadily falling, barely being able to hold back his own. 

“No matter what happens, Chikaru… I will stay with you. I won’t leave you again. I won’t let you be alone again.” He said that firmly, squishing Chikaru’s cheeks in his hands slightly for emphasis. Chikaru sniffled, leaning into Zane’s touch, and slowly starting to calm down. 

“Are you sure…? Chikaru whimpered. 

“I’m positive.” Zane leaned forward and pressed a long kiss to Chikaru’s forehead. When he pulled away he tilted Chikaru’s head up and pressed another kiss to his lips. When he pulled away again he gave Chikaru a small, gentle smile. Chikaru found enough strength to return it and Zane nodded back towards the stove. 

“Now, about dinner?” 

“Okay,” Chikaru chuckled slightly, “I can help…”

They pulled away from their hug and started focusing their attention on cooking, Zane doing most of the work and Chikaru just passing ingredients and utensils to him. Chikaru’s demeanor was still quite somber though, still obviously worried about what the future held. Zane had noticed this and frowned, hoping that what he said previously would be enough to quell Chikaru’s fears, but it clearly wasn’t. He should have expected it though, after all, when this realization first hit him it affected him for months. More than months… he still got affected by it. How could he not? 

“Hey,” he nudged Chikaru. “How about… after another year, we go ahead with the marriage.” 

Chikaru looked up at him in surprise. “Ah… Zane, no you don’t have to do that! I said I’m not trying to rush the wedding, we can do it whenever you want… I’ll be alright, I promise.” 

“I’m not rushing it.” Zane retorted. “You are right, it’s almost been a year since Sensei went missing, and adding on the months after my initial proposal… We will be nearing two years since then very soon.” 

One hand came up to play with the silver chain on his neck, pulling it from his gi to look at the sterling ring resting on it. Chikaru repeated the initial motion, but instead of pulling his ring out, he just rested his hand where it landed on his chest. 

“I know you’re scared, and worried… And if we spend yet another long year split up how we all are, still searching with no leads or clues…” Zane continued, his voice mellow but his brows knitted together. “Then I see no issue with finally making you my husband.” 

“Zane…” 

“I’ve waited so long already, you as well… And if I’m being perfectly honest with you, my love…” he tucked the ring back into his gi. “If I have to wait any longer to be with you I feel I’ll begin to grow impatient.” 

Zane smiled warmly at him and Chikaru couldn’t help but slightly flush at the statement. He looked down at his hands for a few heartbeats, more specifically his left one. Only a year… While Chikaru desperately wanted Wu to be found before then, he couldn’t really pass up this deal. The others would understand, right? If it was Kaori, Kai and Cole they would surely do the same thing? Or Jay and Astrid or Nya and Pixal? This wasn’t going to make them selfish… right…? 

“Well?” Zane’s calm voice pulled Chikaru from his thoughts. He looked back up towards Zane, face twisted in contemplation. Zane could sense Chikaru’s unease with this and rested his hand on Chikaru’s again, tracing shapes on his knuckles.

“We do not have to… But the offer is out there, and will remain out there.” He reassured him. 

“... Alright.” Chikaru finally stated. “Another year.”

“Another year.” Zane repeated. He leaned down and pressed another kiss to Chikaru’s head and the two went back to preparing dinner. 

~

About another hour passed and the door to the room opened again, Cole leading the charge inside. 

“Heyyy kids! Who missed me?” he grinned and Zane returned it warmly from his spot on the bed, a snoozing Chikaru curled up on his chest. 

“Welcome back, Cole!” He spoke clearly, but softly to not stir Chikaru. “Dinner is on the stove.” 

“Oh, my bad I didn’t mean to be loud.” Cole lowered his volume and Kai and Kaori followed him inside. “Thanks for cooking, lugnut!” 

“It smells good Zane!” Kaori commented, “Have you and Chikaru eaten yet?” 

“Yes, we finished not long before you all arrived.” His hands ran up and down Chikaru’s back in soothing motions. “Chikaru has not been asleep for very long either.” 

“Do anything interesting and hopefully PG while we were out?” Kai asked, cutting past Cole to grab himself a serving. 

“Kai!” Kaori hissed. Zane just rolled his eyes, casting a glare towards Kai while the red ninja settled himself at a table next to Cole, who was already shovelling chicken and dumplings into his mouth. 

“All we did was talk and discuss the future with one another.” Zane said matter of factly, “Although the details of which I would rather not repeat…” 

Kai just let out a sarcastic “Mhmm” in between his bites, while Kaori set down her bowl and looked at Zane nervously. 

“Oh? Is… everything alright?” She asked. 

“Everything is okay,” Zane reassured. “Today’s fight was just a little harder on us today than usual. We are okay now though.” 

He smiled down at Chikaru, combing his metal fingers through Chikaru’s yellow locks. Kaori was still a bit suspicious, but decided not to press any further, lest she reopen wounds that just closed. Zane allowed himself to relax further into the bed, Chikaru’s steady breaths lulling him into a sense of serenity while the trio chatted a few feet away at the table. 

_“One more year…”_ he repeated under his breath.


	4. A New Start

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few days after young Lloyd joins the ninja aboard the Bounty, the team receives a distress signal from Chikaru's village and the young seer's entire life gets uprooted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time Period: Takes place in early season 1, right after Lloyd joins the ninja team.

Lloyd was on the deck of the Bounty, trailing behind the four Ninja as they prepared to start their training for the day. The young boy had been hassling the ninja all day, annoying them and showing no sign of stopping any time soon. He launched himself down the steps from the bridge, his hood falling over his eyes a bit as he landed. 

“You guys should let me sit in on training today!” He exclaimed, “I could give you some pretty good pointers on fighting evil masterminds! You all kind of need it.” 

He grinned, one pointed tooth poking out from under his top lip. Kai rolled his eyes, being the most exasperated from Lloyd’s behavior. Lloyd strolled right on over and stood next to the red ninja, looking up at him expectantly. Kai just put his hand on Lloyd’s forehead and pushed him back.

“Maybe some other day, peapod.” He sighed, “We might throw you over the side if you get in the way of this stuff.” 

Lloyd’s smile fell, turning into a pout. “Aw come on! It’s not like you’re preparing for anything important today!” 

“Yeah,” Jay chimed in from the other side of the deck, “Not like we’re preparing for attacks from giant walking snakes that could strike at any time!” 

That remark shut Lloyd up rather fast and he abandoned his spot next to Kai to look over the railing of the ship at the land below. Kai wandered over to begin sparring with Cole while Jay practiced kicking on a dummy and Zane meditated quietly. Lloyd glanced behind him back towards the ninja and huffed quietly, turning his red gaze back to the horizon. Something dark in the corner of Lloyd’s eye caught his attention, and he dragged his gaze from the trees below to the skyline behind the mountains. A large plume of black smoke was rising into the sky, a stark contrast to pale blue and white of the horizon. 

“Hey guys,” Lloyd called, “what’s that out there?” 

Jay had noticed the smoke as soon as Lloyd said something and paused his training to walk to the rail and look as well. The other three were quick to join, their brows furrowing together in worry. 

“Black smoke.” Kai said, “A fire is burning somewhere.” 

“Maybe it's just a forest fire?” Lloyd asked. 

“I do not know, there are quite a few settlements around this area.” Zane pointed out. “I’m worried it may be a town in danger.” 

On cue, the emergency lights started flashing red and Nya’s voice echoed over the intercom, “Everyone report to the bridge! A distress signal just came in from a nearby village!” 

The ninja shared troubled looks with one another before rushing away to join Nya in the bridge. She had the map pulled up when they ran in, Wu standing next to her, his face shadowed in worry. 

“What’s going on?” Cole asked, looking up the map to see where the signal was flashing. 

“A nearby village was just raided by a large group of serpentine.” Nya answered. 

“That’s probably that huge cloud of smoke we saw on the deck-...” Jay muttered, sharing a concerned look with Cole.

Lloyd frowned and Wu stepped forward to address his students, “Set a course there at once.” He ordered. “And quickly.”

Nya started to type in the coordinates and quickly found the shortest route there, setting their course and allowing the ship to zoom off. Zane stepped forward and pointed to the pulsing red dot on the digital map. “Sensei,” he started, “Is that the village where the tea shop resides?” 

“Yes.” Wu answered. “I worry for the safety of my friends in that village. We must get there as fast as possible.” 

“I can get us there in a flash.” Nya said firmly. 

“What... Tea shop are we talking about?” Kai asked. 

“Has Sensei not sent you there yet?” Zane blinked. Kai shook his head.

“When it was just the three of us, before you joined the team, Sensei sent us to a shop called the Golden Spirit to pick up his tea and receive a spiritual reading from the shop owner. It has been… quite a while since we’ve heard from him…” Zane’s face fell, “I had been meaning to send Chikaru another letter, but there has not really been much time…” 

“Ohh, that's who's been sending you all the little love letters.” Kai remarked. 

“They are not love letters.” Zane said flatly. 

The smoke in the sky got closer and darker the closer they approached the village. The ninja pulled their hoods over their heads and rushed out onto the deck, Lloyd about to follow them before being grabbed and stopped by Nya. 

“Not you.” 

The bounty hovered right over the village, the sound of screams and hissing laughter drifting up to their ears. Nya dropped the anchor and the Ninja and Wu threw themselves into the fray. Upon hitting the ground, they all let out a “Ninjaaa GO!” in unison before rushing into battle. 

The serpentine attacking the village were a mix of all the tribes, mostly consisting of Fangpyre and Constrictai. A few buildings had already been knocked down and many fires were burning the wooden homes and businesses. Zane gripped his shurikens tightly in his fists before throwing them towards the nearest flames, a stream of ice trailing out behind the golden weapons and extinguishing the flames. A two headed fangpyre jumped out from around a broken support beam and rushed towards Zane, its fangs glinting against the orange flames. Zane sidestepped the bite and threw a punch to the back of the snake’s neck. It hissed and whipped one of its heads around to try and bite Zane’s arm, but Zane dodged again and knocked the snake into the ground with a powerful kick. The arrival of the ninja had startled the attacking snakes and inspired the townspeople to try and fight back. Clearly not prepared for a battle, the snake's numbers slowly started to grow smaller as many were defeated or retreated. Zane had been doing his best to put out the flames in between small scuffles, but Wu had been doing most of the fire fighting by leading the villagers and keeping the serpentine away from the flames. 

“I think they’ve just about had it fellas!” Cole called as he tossed a serpentine into a pile of rubble. 

“Ninja!!!” A frightened voice tore everyone’s focus away from the fight. A sweaty village boy was running towards them, his face dirty with soot and soil and a panicked look in his eye. “Please help me!” 

“Kind of in the process of that, kid!” Kai snarked. 

“No! It's the tea shop! The building is collapsed and burnt and no one at our evacuation point has seen the tea boy who lives there! I think he’s trapped inside or under all the rubble but I can’t dig him out!” 

Wu’s face fell into a look of fear and he gave his ninja one quick glance before running off in the direction of the shop. Zane also looked quite frightened and was quick to follow behind Wu, the other three trailing behind. They all rounded a corner and the place where the sturdy tea shop once stood was nothing more than a huge pile of smoldering debris. Wu was frozen, his face and thoughts impossible to read as the old man looked at the destroyed shop before him. Zane took in a few deep breaths to keep himself collected, unable to gather any senses of thoughts from his master. His worried expression turned to one of determination as he rushed forward into the destruction and started digging through the pile to find Chikaru.

The other three jumped in to help, Wu soon joining them. Zane pulled back pieces of wood and stone, ignoring the stinging in his hands as he grabbed a wooden beam that still had fresh embers burning on it. 

“Chikaru!” He called, hoping that the young boy was awake enough down there to answer back. 

“If you’re down there give us some kind of sign man!” Jay shouted, throwing aside a pretty good sized rock.

Zane’s heart began hammering against his chest as he started digging in a different spot. He took in a few more deep breaths, more panicked ones. Looking down at his torn gloves he frowned, clenching his fists and squeezing his eyes shut, letting himself relax as much as he could and reaching out for any sign of Chikaru’s aura. Concentration was difficult, as his mind was in a million places at once, but he focused hard on Chikaru’s energy, remembering the warmth and light that the seer had given off upon their first meeting. A sudden wave of warmth hit him, weak, but definitely there, and Zane’s heart skipped a beat. His blue eyes flew open and he jumped to his feet, rushing over towards where the back of the shop used to be. 

He bent down and began digging, throwing aside rocks and embers until he hit a much bigger obstacle.   
He grabbed a large support beam and tried to lift it, but it fell back into the rubble with a thud. Cole had noticed Zane struggling and rushed over and grabbed one side of the beam, nodding towards his friend and helping the white ninja lift it up. The two of them managed to get it higher up, but it still took the full support of Kai and Jay for them to move it aside. When it was out of the way Zane let go and started digging again, leaving his friends to toss the beam aside. Zane’s hand suddenly grabbed something warm and he gasped. 

“I found him!” 

He dug just a bit deeper, pushing the debris away and pulling Chikaru out of the mess. He quickly checked for a pulse and a rush of relief slammed into him feeling the small pulse in Chikaru’s wrist. Scooping the frail boy into his arms, Zane carried him off and away from the rubble pile, settling himself into the dirt and looking down at Chikaru’s burnt and battered body. His hair had fallen from its usual ponytail and was hanging loose around his face. His glasses were gone, and scrapes and burns littered his bare arms and face. Zane could hardly breathe, barely registering the others gathering around him. 

“I… Is he…?” Jay started. 

“He’s alive.” Zane murmured, his eyes never leaving Chikaru. “A bit beaten up, but alive…”   
Something tightened in Zane’s chest, a warm aching pain winding itself around his heart. Why would he be feeling like this right now? He brushed away a bead of blood that had formed from a cut on Chikaru’s cheek and Wu bent down in front of him. 

“Was anyone else in the shop?” 

“No sensei. Chikaru has always been here alone ever since we first met him.” 

Wu was silent, his face expressionless, thoughts swarming his mind but Zane being unable to sense what kind. Wu pushed himself back to a standing position and Chikaru stirred slightly in Zane’s arms. Zane loosened his hold on him, suddenly being aware at how tight he had been clutching the poor boy to him. 

“He moved!!” Jay shrieked. Cole hushed him and Chikaru’s eyes slowly opened, looking up at the faces staring down at him. He was quiet, confused for a few heartbeats before light returned to his eyes and he realized where he was. 

“Z… Zane…? He croaked, his voice raspy and dry. 

“Chikaru, are you alright?” Zane asked quietly. 

“I… I don’t know… What’s going on, why are you all here?” He tried to sit up but fell forward at a sharp pain in his ribs. Zane supported him, helping him sit up and doing his best to avoid causing him anymore pain. Chikaru finally managed to get oriented enough to look around and take in his surroundings, but when his pale blue eyes landed on the ruins of the shop his face fell in horror and a pained cry tore from his throat. He pulled himself out of Zane’s arms, stumbling on his feet for a few seconds before falling to the ground and crawling towards the ruins of the place he called home. Tears fell down his cheeks, his fingers clawing into the dirt and loud sobbing wails wracking his body with tremors. 

The ninja were quiet, letting Chikaru grieve, but unsure how to comfort him or if he even wanted comfort. Zane felt his heart ache, the sight of Chikaru spilling his heart out being a bit too much to bear. He got back to his feet and slowly approached Chikaru, kneeling next to the sobbing seer and resting his hand across Chikaru’s shoulders. Chikaru took a shuddering breath, another sob wracking his body before he started speaking, mostly to himself. 

“Wh- what am I gonna do now…” he coughed, “What are we gonna do…” His fists clenched and he hung his head lowly, his tears staining the ground beneath him. He whispered something under his breath, Zane barely catching it. 

“What is she gonna think of me… This is… I should have done more…” 

A firm hand landed on Chikaru’s other shoulder, causing him to jump and look up at who it was. Wu knelt down to be on eye level with him, his expression sympathetic and his voice even, “You will not be alone during this Chikaru.” 

“Wha…” Chikaru sniffled, blinking and sending a fresh stream of tears down his face. “What…?” 

“I cannot in good conscience leave you here alone and with no home. You are as much my family as my ninja are.” Wu said. “Come with us on the Bounty.” 

“I… I can’t do that…” 

“We can’t just leave you out here man,” Cole said.

“It would not be right.” Zane grabbed Chikaru’s hand and gave it a small squeeze. “You are now homeless and hurt… and you’re our friend. We cannot just leave you here.” 

“Chikaru please.” Wu urged. “Come with us. We could use your wisdom down the road and I know there’s not many other places you can go to now.” 

Chikaru fell silent, his gaze falling to the ground. After a long pause he looked back up the destroyed shop and more tears streamed down his face, his lip quivering and a sob hiccuping in his chest again. 

“Okay… I’ll come with you… Th-Thank you Wu, I don’t think I can ever repay this kindness…”

Wu smiled softly and helped Chikaru to his feet. “You won’t have to. Now come along.” 

Wu led him away from the village and back to the Bounty, the other Ninja close behind. After assuring the rest of the villagers would be alright, they set off. Chikaru was in the Ninja’s shared room, Cole and Jay setting up an extra bed for him in between their bunks and Zane bandaging Chikaru’s chest to help his ribs heal. Chikaru had been very quiet since boarding the Bounty, but Zane couldn’t really fault him too much for that. He had been through a lot, but Zane could sense there was something else causing his friend’s silence. When Jay and Cole left the room to gather some sheets and pillows, Zane took the chance to ask, “Is your master still on her trip?” 

Chikaru nodded, “She was supposed to be returning soon… I’m… I’m scared for when she gets home and sees the mess. And I’m not there…” 

Tears threatened to spill over his eyes again and Zane held his hand again, running his thumb over Chikaru’s knuckles. “She will find us. I am sure of it.” 

“I hope so…” 

Wu cleared his throat in the doorway. Zane jumped and suddenly grew very hot as he pulled away from Chikaru and fixed his eyes on the ground. 

“We will be docked near Ignacia until Chikaru is healed.” The old sensei informed them. “It will also give you time to get used to being on the ship… And for Kaori to catch up to us.” 

Chikaru flinched, looking away and shrinking in on himself. “Thank you sensei…” 

Wu nodded and turned to leave, bumping right into Lloyd. He cocked an eyebrow at the young child, Lloyd looking at him guiltily. 

“Young nephew… You look as though you’ve done something wrong.” Wu sighed.

“I- I didn’t! Well… I did… but not to you!” he defended. Wu looked confused and Lloyd tried to push past him. “Can I please go inside…?” 

Wu hummed, contemplating for a moment, but one look at Lloyd’s face made him stand aside and let the boy into the room. Lloyd marched right over to Chikaru and looked at him, his expression determined at first, but the longer he looked at the beat up Chikaru the more his face fell to sorrow. He started fiddling with the bottom of his shirt and his red eyes fell to the floor in shame. 

“I’m really sorry…” 

Chikaru looked at Zane in confusion, then back to Lloyd. “Why…?” 

“The serpentine being loose… is my fault. If I hadn’t opened the tombs then you wouldn’t be hurt and your shop would still be okay… I’m really really sorry…” 

Chikaru blinked, a soft smile spreading over his lips. He reached out and rested a hand on Lloyd’s shoulder. “You have nothing to apologize for. You’ve already made up for anything you’ve done by helping the ninja. That means more going forward than anything else.” 

Lloyd looked back up and sniffed, returning Chikaru’s smile and nodding. “Yeah…”   
He took a few steps back and then ran out of the room, his former energy seeming to have returned. Zane chuckled lightly and looked at Chikaru, continuing to tend to his wounds. 

“I sense you will get on just fine with us here.”


End file.
